The Gift of Constructive Feedback & Self-Reflection

It is now the time of the year when most companies complete the annual performance review process and we reflect on and discuss our individual performance against objectives for the past year, and set new objectives for the coming year.  I would like to encourage you to be very introspective about what worked well and what did not work well this year. Did you achieve everything you wanted to get done? Did you make a big, meaningful impact in some way? Are you proud of what you accomplished? How can you do even better in the coming year? 

Ask your manager and your peers, and if you are a manager, ask your direct reports how you can improve and be even more effective. The world around us and the requirements to be successful are constantly changing. What worked in the past will not always work in the future. People and companies need to continue to learn and adapt to maintain peak performance. If you are a manager, be sure to give your team members the gift of thoughtful, constructive feedback so they, and your company, can grow. 

Performance reviews can be a time sink and non-value add activity if you just go through the motions. But performance reviews can and should be a highlight of the year if done with the right state of mind and focus.  The great majority of business performance is about execution rather than strategy, individually and as a team, to fulfill the potential of a particular business.  The end of year performance review process if done well is a great way to get focused on execution.